Minn. ALJ Pauses LTD Broadband Review

An administrative law judge shelved an LTD Broadband review by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission until the FCC rules on the company’s appeal of a denied long-form application for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) support. LTD should file a status report every 120 days starting Feb. 1, ALJ James LaFave ordered Wednesday in docket 22-221. LTD had urged the PUC to delay considering whether to revoke LTD Broadband’s eligible telecom carrier status (see 2209200073). “Here, we are faced with the prospect of a time-consuming, expensive contested case hearing in a matter that may well be moot,” LaFave wrote. “Unless and until the FCC reverses its position on LTD’s long-form application, there is no issue to decide. Staying this proceeding makes sense.” Also, the PUC hasn't had a chance "to formally consider the effects and ramifications of the FCC decision,” and the FCC's determination will be relevant to the Minnesota proceeding since the independent federal agency "has a fiduciary interest in seeing the RDOF funds are properly dispersed,” said the ALJ.